What's it all about?

One of the women I know recently complained how she has lost her focus.  For her everything is a huge hurdle, and work-related stress has become an unending daily workday battle.  She operates a 12-hour work schedule and still manages to be overwhelmed. 

“Have you tried meditating first thing before you start your workday?”  I asked.

Her immediate response:  “I don’t have time for that!” 

I instantly realized the root of her stressed-till-I-drop mentality.  She refuses to make time for what could bring pause and poise to her often harassed work grind. 

Many people are guilty of the same thing.  They run their lives on a frantic schedule, breathlessly going from Point A to Point Z, constantly complaining on how life has been speeding by that they can hardly catch up.

Human beings are the drivers of their destiny.  We are not puppets on a string!  We have the invaluable mental gift to make our own decisions, operate at our own pace and fulfill the divine mission we were given. 

If only we can find the time…

Modern technology has certainly made our lives easier.  Almost everything can now be had at the push of the button and click of the keyboard.  Unfortunately, in the process of the “quick fix” and instant information, we have lost the luxury of savoring time.  Working at a slow pace isn’t the prized process nowadays, but if only we do so perhaps lesser human errors will happen... and human sanity will not be put at risk!

In the old days, I would pore over books before I could complete a publishable article.  These days a monitor, keyboard and mouse are my best friends!  To be honest, I miss those leisurely long agos when I would sit with a good book and read.  Back then I felt I had the luxury of time and the freedom to enjoy every sinful minute.

I notice too that in the pre-technology era, relationships were valued and held sacred.  People didn’t change partners as often as they changed their clothes.  I can’t help but think that even if technology has brought a great deal of conveniences into our lives, it might have spoiled for us what really matters most:  our authentic human beingness.

In my Pollyannaish frame of mind, I can’t help but wish that the citizens of the world would find the time to ponder what really counts in our lifetime.  If we could all take advantage of that precious gift, then our existence would have meaning.  We would all learn to love what we're doing and cherish the moments that make life worth living. 

That includes not losing our mind over work or going crazy beating a deadline.

Have a good life, everyone!

Good friends

An anonymous someone had written the following piece, too bad that person can't get the credit well deserved.  My thanks to KCT (my former boss and long-time friend) who shared this wonderful story.

Two Horses
Author Unknown

Just up the road from my home is a field, with two horses in it. 
From a distance, each horse looks like any other horse. 
But if you stop your car, or are walking by, you will notice

Something quite amazing….

Looking into the eyes of one horse will disclose that he is blind. His owner has chosen not to have him put down, but has made a good home for him. 

This alone is amazing. If you stand nearby and listen, you will hear the sound of a bell. Looking around for the source of the sound, you will see that it comes from the smaller horse in the field.

Attached to the horse's halter is a small bell. It lets the blind friend know where the other horse is, so he can follow. 

As you stand and watch these two friends, you'll see that the horse with the bell is always checking on the blind horse, and that the blind horse will listen for the bell and then slowly walk to where the other horse is, trusting that he will not be led astray.

When the horse with the bell returns to the shelter of the barn each evening, it stops occasionally and looks back, 
Making sure that the blind friend isn't too far behind to hear the bell. 

Like the owners of these two horses, God does not throw us away just because we are not perfect or because we have problems or challenges.

He watches over us and even brings others into our lives
To help us when we are in need.. 

Sometimes we are the blind horse being guided by the little ringing bell of those who God places in our lives. 
Other times we are the guide horse, helping others to find their way....

Good friends are like that... You may not always see them,

but you know they are always there.. 

Please listen for my bell and I'll listen for yours, and remember... 

Be kinder than necessary- 
Everyone you meet is fighting 
Some kind of battle.

Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly....... 

FOR WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT

Only in the Philippines

My friend Lina passed on this piece detailing an Englishman's insightful observations of an exotic country we both love:  the Philippines.  Thanks, Lina!

* * *

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO RELIEVE STRESS.....
This is so funny...take time to read it all the way to the end.
The following is from a British journalist stationed in the Philippines.
His observations are so hilarious!!!
       
                
MATTER OF TASTE
By Matthew Sutherland
        
        I have now been in this country for over six years, and consider myself in most respects well assimilated.  However, there is one key step on the road to full assimilation, which I have yet to take, and that's to eat BALUT.
        
        The day any of you sees me eating balut, please call immigration and ask them to issue me a Filipino passport. Because at that point there will be no turning back.  BALUT, for those still blissfully ignorant non-Pinoys out there, is a fertilized duck egg.  It is commonly sold with salt in a piece of newspaper, much like English fish and chips, by street vendors usually after dark, presumably so you can't see how gross it is.
        
        Food dominates the life of the Filipino. People here just love to eat.  They eat at least eight times a day. These eight official meals are called, in order: breakfast, snacks, lunch, merienda, merienda ceyna, dinner, bedtime snacks and no-one-saw-me-take-that-cookie-from-the-fridge-so-it-doesn't-count.
        
        The short gaps in between these mealtimes are spent eating Sky Flakes from the open packet that sits on every desktop. You're never far from food in the Philippines . If you doubt this, next time you're driving home from work, try this game. See how long you can drive without seeing food and I don't mean a distant restaurant, or a picture of food. I mean a man on the sidewalk frying fish balls, or a man walking through the traffic selling nuts or candy. I bet it's less than one minute.
        
        Here are some other things I've noticed about food in the  Philippines:

        Firstly, a meal is not a meal without rice - even breakfast.  In the UK, I could go a whole year without eating rice.   Second, it's impossible to drink without eating. A bottle of San Miguel just isn't the same without gambas or beef tapa. Third, no one ventures more than two paces from their house without baon (food in small container) and a container of something cold to drink. You might as well ask a Filipino to leave home without his pants on. And lastly, where I come from, you eat with a knife and fork. Here, you eat with a spoon and fork.  You try eating rice swimming in fish sauce with a knife.
        
        One really nice thing about Filipino food culture is that people always ask you to SHARE their food. In my office, if you catch anyone attacking their baon, they will always go, "Sir! KAIN TAYO!" ("Let's eat!").

        This confused me, until I realized that they didn't actually expect me to sit down and start munching on their boneless bangus. In fact, the polite response is something like, "No thanks, I just ate." But the principle is sound - if you have food on your plate, you are expected to share it, however hungry you are, with those who may be even hungrier.  I think that's great!
        
        In fact, this is frequently even taken one step further.  Many Filipinos use "Have you eaten yet?" ("KUMAIN KA NA?") as a general greeting, irrespective of time of day or location.
        
        Some foreigners think Filipino food is fairly dull compared to other Asian cuisines.  Actually lots of it is very good: Spicy dishes like Bicol Express (strange, a dish named after a train); anything cooked with coconut milk; anything KINILAW; and anything ADOBO.  And it's hard to beat the sheer wanton, cholesterolic frenzy of a good old-fashioned LECHON de leche (roast pig) feast.  Dig a pit, light a fire, add 50 pounds of animal fat on a stick, and cook until crisp. Mmm, mmm... you can actually feel your arteries constricting with each successive mouthful.
        
        I also share one key Pinoy trait --- a sweet tooth. I am thus the only foreigner I know who does not complain about sweet bread, sweet burgers, sweet spaghetti, sweet banana ketchup, and so on. I am a man who likes to put jam on his pizza.  Try it!
        
        It's the weird food you want to avoid.  In addition to duck fetus in the half-shell, items to avoid in the Philippines include pig's blood soup (DINUGUAN); bull's testicle soup, the strangely-named "SOUP NUMBER FIVE"  (I dread to think what numbers one through four are);  and the ubiquitous, stinky shrimp paste, BAGOONG, and it's equally stinky sister, PATIS.
        
        Filipinos are so addicted to these latter items that they will even risk arrest or deportation trying to smuggle them into countries like Australia and the USA , which wisely ban the importation of items you can smell from more than 100 paces.
        
        Then there's the small matter of the purple ice cream. I have never been able to get my brain around eating purple food; the ubiquitous UBE leaves me cold.
        
        And lastly on the subject of weird food, beware: that KALDERETANG KAMBING (goat) could well be KALDERETANG ASO (dog).
        
        The Filipino, of course, has a well-developed sense of food.

        Here's a typical Pinoy food joke:  "I'm on a seafood diet.

        "What's a seafood diet?" "When I see food, I eat it!"
        
        Filipinos also eat strange bits of animals --- the feet, the head, the guts, etc., usually barbecued on a stick. These have been given witty names, like "ADIDAS" (chicken's feet); "KURBATA" (either just chicken's neck, or "neck and thigh" as in "neck-tie"); "WALKMAN" (pigs ears); "PAL" (chicken wings); "HELMET" (chicken head); "IUD" (chicken intestines), and BETAMAX" (video-cassette- like blocks of animal blood).  Yum,yum.  Bon appétit.
        
        WHEN I arrived in the Philippines from the UK six years ago, one of the first cultural differences to strike me was names. The subject has provided a continuing source of amazement and amusement ever since.   The first unusual thing, from an English perspective, is that everyone here has a nickname.  In the staid and boring United Kingdom, we have nicknames in kindergarten, but when we move into adulthood we tend, I am glad to say, to lose them.
        
        The second thing that struck me is that Philippine names for both girls and boys tend to be what we in the UK would regard as overbearingly cutesy for anyone over about five.  Fifty-five-year-olds colleague put it.
        
        Where I come from, a boy with a nickname like Boy Blue or Honey Boy would be beaten to death at school by pre-adolescent bullies, and never make it to adulthood. So, probably, would girls with names like Babes, Lovely, Precious, Peachy or Apples.  Yuk, ech ech. Here, however, no one bats an eyelid.

        Then I noticed how many people have what I have come to call "door-bell names". These are nicknames that sound like - well, doorbells. There are millions of them.  Bing, Bong, Ding, and Dong are some of the more common. They can be, and frequently are, used in even more door-bell-like combinations such as Bing-Bong, Ding-Dong, Ting-Ting, and so on.  Even our newly appointed chief of police has a doorbell name Ping.  None of these doorbell names exist where I come from, and hence sound unusually amusing to my untutored foreign ear.
        
        Someone once told me that one of the Bings, when asked why he was called Bing, replied, "because my brother is called Bong".  Faultless logic.

        Dong, of course, is a particularly funny one for me, as where come from "dong" is a slang word for well; perhaps "talong" is the best Tagalog equivalent!
        
        Repeating names was another novelty to me, having never before encountered people with names like Len-Len, Let-Let, Mai-Mai, or Ning-Ning.  The secretary I inherited on my arrival had an unusual one: Leck-Leck. Such names are then frequently further refined by using the "squared" symbol, as in Len2 or Mai2. This had me very confused for a while.
        
        Then there is the trend for parents to stick to a theme when naming their children. This can be as simple as making them all begin with the same letter, as in Jun, Jimmy, Janice, and Joy.
        
        More imaginative parents shoot for more sophisticated forms of assonance or rhyme, as in Biboy, Boboy, Buboy, Baboy (notice the names get worse the more kids there are-best to be born early or you could end up being a Baboy).
        
        Even better, parents can create whole families of, say, desserts (Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Honey Pie) or flowers (Rose, Daffodil, Tulip). The main advantage of such combinations is that they look great painted across your trunk if you're a cab driver.
        
        That's another thing I'd never seen before coming to  Manila -- taxis with the driver's kids' names on the trunk.

        Another whole eye-opening field for the foreign visitor is the phenomenon of the "composite" name. This includes names like Jejomar (for Jesus, Joseph and Mary), and the remarkable Luzviminda (for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao , believe it or not).

        That's a bit like me being called something like "Engscowani" (for England , Scotland , Wales and  Northern Ireland).  Between you and me, I'm glad I'm not.
        
        And how could I forget to mention the fabulous concept of the randomly inserted letter 'h'. Quite what this device is supposed to achieve, I have not yet figured out, but I think it is designed to give a touch of class to an otherwise only averagely weird name.  It results in creations like Jhun, Lhenn, Ghemma, and Jhimmy. Or how about Jhun-Jhun (Jhun2)?
         
        How boring to come from a country like the UK full of people with names like John Smith.   How wonderful to come from a country where imagination and exoticism rule the world of names.

        Even the towns here have weird names; my favorite is the unbelievably named town of Sexmoan  (ironically close to Olongapo and Angeles).  Where else in the world could that really be true?

       Where else in the world could the FORMER head of the Church really be called Cardinal Sin?

       Where else but the Philippines !

        Note: Philippine has a FORMER senator named JOKER, and it is his legal name.  

 

  

Be blessed

A friend forwarded this.  Thank you, Lina!

* * *

BLESS YOU...with God's wisdom and guidance....

IF THE LORD HAS YOU ON HOLD... HOLD ON!
IF THE LORD HAS SAID "NO" TO YOU... THANK HIM!
IF THE LORD IS MOLDING YOUR HEART AND MIND... GO WITH HIS CHANGE!
IF THE LORD OPENS DOORS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ASKING HIM TO OPEN... PRAISE HIM!
Be blessed wherever you are in your life today!  God has His hands on the situation!


YOU SAY GOD SAYS BIBLE VERSES
You say: "It's impossible"; God says: “All things are possible” (Lk 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"; God says: “I will give you rest”  (Matt 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"; God says: “I love you”  (Jn 3:16, 34 )
You say: "I can't go on"; God says: “My grace is sufficient” (II Cor 12:9;  Ps 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out"; God says: “I will direct your steps” (Pr 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it"; God says: “You can do all things” (Phil 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able"; God says: “I am able” (II Cor 9:8)You say: "It's not worth it"; God says: “It will be worth it” (Rom 8:28 )
You say: "I can't forgive myself"; God says: “I Forgive you” (I Jn 1:9; Rom 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage"; God says: “I will supply all your needs” (Phil 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid"; God says: “I have not given you a spirit of fear” (II Tim 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"; God says: “Cast all your cares on ME” (I Pet 5:7)
You say: "I'm not smart enough"; God says: “I give you wisdom” (I Cor 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone"; God says: “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Heb 13:5)

Believe God is there just for you...
YOU NEVER KNOW WHO MAY BE IN NEED

TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

HONOR GOD. MAKE DISCIPLES.

Lina

Paging... Ms. Manners!

Dwayne, my typically good-natured bus driver in the morning, was obviously rattled one day last week.

"What's wrong with today's kids?  They have no manners!"

He was very upset by an episode that happened that morning.  A handicapped man was getting on the bus.  School kids were occupying the seating area that was reserved for the elderly and disabled passengers.

Before Dwayne set down the ramp for the gentleman in the wheelchair, he politely requested the kids sitting in the disabled seating section to get up to make room for the passenger in the wheelchair.  As soon as the students got up, another set of kids took their place on the vacated seats.

Dwayne screamed (a very unusual occurrence, mind you):  "I need TWO SEATS PLEASE!"

The kids didn't get the message initially so Dwayne yelled in a much louder voice, showing them that he meant business.

When it was time for the handicapped passenger to unboard, two school kids delayed his exit.  They stood at the front of the bus and the handicapped man had difficulty maneuvering his wheelchair.  The boys obviously didn't know what to do until Dwayne told them to temporarily get off the bus.  For considerate and caring folks, it would have been a most natural reaction, but obviously, the boys' attention were somewhere else!

After the children got off at their school, Dwayne and I couldn't help share our frustration.  Are today's school children just plain RUDE, simply insensitive... or were they never taught any manners at home or in school?  If those kids are representative of today's generation, we should be scared of what our country would be like when it's their time to lead. 

Let's face it, the young ones belong to a generation of ears glued to their cell phones and plugged with electronic gadgets and fingers chained to text messaging.  No wonder they often look sluggish and old before their time!

The other day, a middle school boy screamed, "BACK DOOR!" to Dwayne as he was getting off the bus.  No "Please" or "Thank You" followed that command.  I wouldn't be surprised if the bus driver felt like a glorified slave of that teenage boy.

If this kind of rude behavior from the young ones should continue to proliferate our society, there isn't much kindness, politeness and respect to be expected in the near future.  It would be a very depressing reality should good manners become MIA (missing in action) in tomorrow's society.  

It's a very sad statement of not only what the future holds, but of the prevalent lack of parenting skills.

Future headlines

Have you ever wondered what the headlines would be like many years from now?  My friend (thanks, Ashley!) shared some really interesting ideas... 
 
HEADLINES FROM THE YEAR:  2029  
 
 *Ozone created by electric cars now killing millions in the seventh largest country in the world, Mexifornia, formerly known as California. White minorities still trying to have English recognized as Mexifornia's third language.
 
 *Spotted Owl plague threatens northwestern United States crops and livestock.
 
 *Baby conceived naturally. Scientists stumped.
 
 *Couple petitions court to reinstate heterosexual marriage.
 
 *Last remaining Fundamentalist Muslim dies in the American Territory of the Middle East (formerly known as Iraq , Afghanistan , Syria and Lebanon ).
 
 *Iran still closed off; physicists estimate it will take at least 10 more
 years before radioactivity decreases to safe levels.
 
 *France pleads for global help after being taken over by Jamaica.
 
 *Castro finally dies at age 112; Cuban cigars can now be imported legally, but President Chelsea Clinton has banned all smoking!!
 
 *George Z. Bush says he will run for President in 2036.
 
 *Postal Service raises price of first class stamp to $17.89 and reduces mail delivery to Wednesdays only.
 
 *85-year $75.8 billion study: Diet and Exercise is the key to weight loss.
 
 *Average weight of Americans drops to 250 lbs.
 
 *Japanese scientists have created a camera with such a fast shutter speed, they now can photograph a woman with her mouth shut. (Hummmmmmmmm)
 
 *Massachusetts executes last remaining conservative.
 
 *Supreme Court rules punishment of criminals, violates their civil rights.
 
 *Average height of NBA players is now nine feet, seven inches.
 
 *New federal law requires that all nail clippers, screwdrivers, fly swatters and rolled-up newspapers must be registered by January 2036.
 
 *Congress authorizes direct deposit of formerly illegal political
 contributions to campaign accounts.
 
 *IRS sets lowest tax rate at 75 percent.
 
 *Florida voters still having trouble with voting machines.
 

Now, send this to whoever you want to and as many as you want and guess what.... NOTHING will happen. No miracles, no money, absolutely nothing,  except you might make someone smile.

Escape from the everyday

Most people I know have over-the-top fantasies.

If a mega lottery prize is won, they won't think twice about dropping everything, quitting their job and going on a trip to Paris in France.  Unfortunately, much to their disappointment, the desired windfall never drops on their lap.  Unhappily, they find themselves plugging along, going through what they believe to be a boring existence.  The point they're missing is unappreciating what they have... what countless folks would be willing to enjoy... the blessing of gainful employment.

Honestly, once upon a time I too nurtured such a wild fantasy.  Better than the exotic trip, I loved the thought of never having to balance my checkbook because there was more than enough to spend.  But the hot balloon that allowed me to soar and nourish that dream soon brought me back to Planet Earth.  I guess losing gainful employment and fearing the loss of lifetime savings twice can pound serious sense into any brain.

These days I'm pretty much content with living an ordinary lifestyle and spending under my means. That's what financial guru Suze Orman would like everyone to do anyway.  Seeing flowers in bloom has the power to take me away to a very happy place.  I don't dream of taking a cruise to some alien continent anymore.  I've realized that taking a walk in a scenic neighborhood can do wonders for the soul and I don't even have to pack a suitcase!

Others have inexpensive ways to fulfill their travel wishes.  They watch documentary travel films, read geography books or salivate over glossy snapshots of foreign getaways.  Anyone can be creative in fulfilling their heart's desires without spending a dime. 

Not reaching for the stars, and simply living within, even below, our means, is not such a bad idea.  Sure, we can dream, but when it never becomes our wished for reality, we might only end up disappointed, demotivated, depressed and disgruntled.  A dragging morale is not a good companion through life.

If we must escape our everyday, let's do so without the grandiose wishes that if left unfulfilled would result in breaking our spirit.  Dreaming is healthy when we realize that the real world is not a soft cushion to fall on if and when our imagined fantasies don't happen.   

If we can learn to love what we have, there won't be a need to get away from our uneventful everyday.  But if that's not good enough... then dream on!

The art of not getting old

Thanks to my friend Ashley for sharing this piece...


Don't Grow Old
===========

Many people are afraid of growing old.
I'm afraid of growing old and boring.

Many people are afraid of growing old, alone.
I'm afraid of growing old, insane.

Many people are afraid of losing their looks.
I'm afraid of losing my dreams.

Many people are afraid of losing their youth.
I'm afraid of losing my soul.

When you're 15, 35 seems ancient.
When you're 35, 15 seems juvenile.

A turnaround in a split second - two decades zoom past and
before you know it, it's only a mile to the next millennium.

Don't fear age,
it's a right of person-hood.

Don't fear death- it's God's greatest jest.

Don't grow old - you don't have to.

Don't date because you're desperate.

Don't marry because you're miserable.

Don't have kids because you think your genes are superior.

Don't separate because you think it's fashionable.

Don't drink because you have troubles.

Don't gamble because you think winning is inevitable.

Don't philander because you think you're irresistible.
Most likely, you're not.

Don't associate with people you can't trust.
Don't cheat.
Don't lie.
Don't pretend.

Don't try to buy your way into the kingdom of God.

Don't dictate because you're smarter.

Don't demand because you're stronger.

Don't sleep around because you think you're old enough and know
better.

Don't hurt your kids because loving them is harder.

Don't sell yourself, your family or your ideals.

Don't stagnate.
Don't regress.

Learn a new skill.

Find a new friend.

Start a new career.

Don't live in the past.

Time can't bring anything or anyone back.

Don't put your life on hold for possibly Mr. Right.

Don't throw your life away on absolutely Mr. Wrong because your
biological clock is ticking and you can't afford to have your
eggs harvested before the new millennium.

There's always a mad rush to something, somewhere - but victory
does not always belong to those who finish first.

Sometimes, there is no race to be won, only a price to be paid
for some of life's more hasty decisions.

You can't always go with the throng who could be wrong.

Sometimes, you have to be alone to be enlightened.

To terminate your loneliness, reach out to the homeless.
To feed your nurturing instincts, care for the needy.
To fulfill your parenting fantasies, get a puppy.

Don't bring another life into this world for all the wrong
reasons.

To keep yourself warm, buy a jacket.
In the long run, it will be less complicated and less costly.

To make yourself happy, pursue your passions and be the best of
what you can be.

Simplify your life.
Take away the clutter.
Get rid of destructive elements - abusive friends, nasty habits
and dangerous liaisons.

Don't abandon your responsibilities, but don't overdose on duty.
Don't live life recklessly without thought and feeling for your
family.

Be true to yourself. Don't commit when you're not ready.

Don't keep others waiting needlessly.

Fall in love - it's the greatest thing on earth.
But take care and remember, after the fall must come the rise.

Go on that trip. Don't postpone it.

Say those words. Don't let the moment pass.
Do what you must even at society's scorn.

Write poetry. Love deeply. Walk barefoot. Hold hands.
Dance with wild abandon. Cry at the movies.
Take care of yourself.
Don't wait for someone to take care of you.

You light up your life.
You drive yourself to your destination.
No one completes you - except you.
It is true that life doesn't get easier with age.
It only gets more challenging.

Don't be afraid.
Don't lose your capacity to love.

Pursue your passions.
Live your dreams.

Don't lose faith in God.

Don't grow old.

Just grow up.

An article from Sun-Star daily newspaper ...
By Melanie T. Lim, June 2, 1999

Farewell, Mr. Rooney!

Every time Andy Rooney did his signature spiel (“A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney”), I knew that the Sunday’s “60 Minutes” was coming to an end.  As every viewer of that show knows, Mr. Rooney was the show closer.

I remember one segment he devoted to dead time, I mean clocks and watches that didn’t work anymore.  He seemed to have a penchant for keeping them.  But Mr. Rooney got my undivided attention because like him I shared the same attachment to non-working time pieces!

How many people can make commentaries on everyday trifles and ordinary absurdities in life that Mr. Rooney shared with the public and make us think that the topic was of some significance?  He had a knack for reading what’s on the Average Joe’s mind that not even the person realizes that he is thinking about.  Mr. Rooney lived up to what every writer should do, “to tell the truth,” which was eactly what he did.

His first “60 Minutes” commentary aired on July 2, 1978, complaining about people’s fixation on car accident deaths during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.  According to him, it was “one of the safest weekends of the year to be going someplace.”  He was certainly right!  Although he didn’t exit the world in a car accident, he crossed over on such an ordinary day right after Halloween.  In his tyical blunt, even cranky, and no-nonsense style, he expressed his unflinching, sometimes unutterable, views of the everyday for over three decades.

Mr. Rooney’s commentaries were informative, albeit full of sarcasm, but I guess that seeing the negatives of life, something that many of us don’t even notice, was his mission on earth.  I’m certain that this guy whose friends fondly called Andy genuinely loved his job and must have dreaded the day that he would be forced to end his television career.  Retirement was probably never in his agenda because a month after doing his final 1,097^th “60 Minutes” commentary, his health gave up on him and it was clearly his time to go.  I’m sure that if Mr. Rooney had a say, he would have preferred to exit the universe that way.  No more golden years in a rocking chair watching a younger version of himself aping his gig.

Honestly, when his very last segment aired, I felt a bit of sadness.  I don’t know anyone like Mr. Rooney who opened his big mouth and got away with it.  He’s one of a kind.  Although countless of people he knew in his lifetime, even the millions of avid fans of his broadcasting career, will miss him, at 92 it’s certainly a good time to go.

Mr. Rooney, every Sunday night you made your followers chuckle and see the wisdom of your thoughts.  May you rest in peace now.  If there’s anyone who deserves it, you do, sir!

My two Bobs (dead and alive)

It’s possible that everyone has met a Bob in their lifetime.  I’m certain that many women are, or were once, married, to a man by that name.

Like the majority, I have had the pleasure of being associated with someone named Bob.  In fact, I've known a couple of them.

One of them, Bob A, passed a few years ago.  I worked with him for many years in a giant corporation.  Bob worked in the IT department and he was the one who always came to my rescue when I needed help with my office computer or software. 

Bob A was very educated on his field, making sure that he not only fixed the problem, but invested time discussing what caused the malfunction and what was done to resolve the issue.  Many associates in the company didn’t appreciate that side of Bob A.  People were always in a big rush.  For them if the computer problem could be fixed, they didn’t want to hear why the problem happened in the first place.

Bob A wasn’t just a great IT professional, he was an efficient handyman.  Because I had known him for many years, I could talk to him about anything.  One time I needed to replace a hose under my bathroom sink.  I didn’t want to call a plumber because I knew it was a simple problem that even I could fix myself.  In addition, the plumber's fee was a big turnoff!  Bob A not only explained how it needed to be done and what hose to purchase, he drew a professionally looking diagram of the installation.  To this day I have kept that piece of paper where he laid out the plan.  After he died, I was tempted to give that paper to Sue (Bob A’s widow), but decided to keep it.  I wanted something of Bob to remind me of him.  Someday I might even put it in a nice frame and hang it on my wall.

Although Bob A's demise came unexpectedly, I might have been given a divine hint.  Years ago I was in a mortuary parlor for our mutual friend's deceased mother's funeral when I saw Bob A come out of the car.  As he stood on the parking lot, he had a glow about him.  Just picture a winged creature all aglow and that's how Bob A's image stuck in my memory.  At that time I didn't make anything of it, but when he died some months later, I couldn't help but connect the dots.

Then there’s Bob O, a really smart guy I worked with for a few years.  The short time we spent as work associates was of no consequence because we managed to keep in touch.  He tried to lure me into getting a job at his new company, but I was too loyal to my employer to even think about it.  This year after I learned that my job was on the chopping block at the end of this past August, I sent Bob O an e-mail telling him that my commitment to my employer was coming to an end.  I was hoping that there would still be a position I could apply for in his organization.  He responded and told me that the company went under a few years ago, but that good things had happened to him since he left it.  He’s now the owner of a company!

Unfortunately, Bob O’s organization is based in another state.  Although there is a job I could have there, I wasn’t planning to leave my neck of the woods any time soon.  Nevertheless, Bob O reminded me why he was special to me.  When we got to chat on the telephone, he said:  “Please use me as a reference.  I can’t wait to tell them all the good things why they should hire you.”  He might have said it just to make me feel good about my unemployed situation.  Nevertheless, I really appreciated that despite now running his own company, he has remained the same humble and unassuming Bob O of a few years ago.

Yes, I’ve known a couple of Bobs.  Bob A was, and Bob O continues to be, a blessing in my life.  Thank God for Bobs!

The kindness virus

It seems that every day the news everywhere have not been palatable.  If I want my spirit dragged down to the ground, all I have to do is listen to the news.  Weather forecasts aren’t only exaggerated, chances are, something sinister has happened, a child is missing, a female jogger is molested on the running trail or there’s always someone being hunted for some devious crime.

If each citizen of the world will only aspire to do one act of kindness daily, our planet will be in a better shape.  Joy will abound and mortals of the universe will be in a perpetual cheerful frame of mind.

If more people will leave their vehicles at home, take public transportation or walk to short distance destinations, we won’t have to worry about lethal gases in our atmosphere.  Every day I see metal rides being occupied by a single passenger (the driver) and I see all the fuel and monies being wasted by such exercise.  It’s likely that the devastation from the global warming destruction won’t happen in our lifetime, but it’s good to do our share… right now… in preventing the damaging consequences.

Like me, you, too, might have encountered smile-less folks in your day-to-day journey through life.  Or people who manage to smile once in a while, but whose smile doesn’t quite make it below their ears.  Those are obviously unhappy people who have had to deal with rough patches in their life.  Smiling for them might be some kind of luxury that has become unaffordable.  If you and I will make it a habit to smile, who knows, we might be uplifting the spirit of a depressed soul! Smiling doesn’t cost us a cent, yet it’s priceless and infectious.  Let’s do it often!

Where I live, hit-and-run incidents have become staple of the local news.  Motorists hitting pedestrians then driving off like nothing happened have become a very sad reality.  Are people just too busy to bother to stop and care anymore?

I can think of really simple ways to make a difference in our daily interaction with humanity:

* Throwing trash in the dumpster, not leaving them littered on the street.

* Wiping the public restroom faucet counter dry if we made a damp mess. 

* Falling in line, not jumping it, when other people have waited before us.

* If we're standing in front of a USPS mailbox to deposit our mail and a vehicle stops, offering to take the driver's or passenger's mail to drop in the mailbox will certainly be appreciated.  

* Leaving our eatery table neat and tidy when we leave.  More important, not forgetting to leave a tip.  Our waiter will love us for it!

* Keeping our cell phone conversations at a minimum, and talking softly when we’re on a call, in public places (specially in public transportation where passengers are in-your-face proximity).  Not everyone likes to hear our personal business.   

* “Please” and “thank you” are still the kindest expressions that come out of someone’s mouth.  Let’s never forget to say them specially to bus drivers and people who assist us in any way.

* Holding the door for the person behind us, especially if it’s a heavy one.  The simple act of opening a door for someone is a very nice thing to do.

* If someone falls in front of us on the street, let’s extend a hand to help them get up. If they drop something, let's take the time to let them know.

* In public transportations, passengers are often distracted and leave packages behind on their seat.  If we catch it, let's make an effort to tell them so.  If it's too late to do anything, take the package to the driver who will turn it over to Lost & Found. 

* At the supermarket checkout, chit-chat with the sales clerk.  That will let them know how their service is appreciated.  If they’re wearing a name badge, let’s mention their name as we thank them for their assistance.  They’ll love us for our kindness.

* Leaving any public place we visit in the same order that we found it.

There are many more cost-free acts of kindness that we can do every day of our life.  Little gestures of courtesy, thoughtfulness and kindness can make a difference!  If we commit to doing at least one selfless act daily, the routine will become second nature.  Think of how such positive behavior can do wonders for the Universe!  Ours will be a kinder and joyful world, a much better place to navigate.

Portable Bible

In the spring this year, I posted the following blog.  Now with the holiday season upon us, many folks will find themselves in travelling mode.  So in case anyone needs a spiritual check-up, read on...

* * *

A busy life is no excuse to feel un-spiritual.  But carrying a Holy Bible, no matter how mini the book version, can be challenging for really busy, constantly on-the-go folks. 

Thanks to the Internet, we now have  a handy Holy Bible that can be accessible anytime... anywhere.  All you do is click on the link below.  Beats any Kindle!

What’s lovely is that a list of Emergency Telephone Numbers is included for specific concerns and situations.  Whoever created this should be blessed multiple fold.  Thank you!

The Bible on One page

Thank you, Kenneth (my friend Down Under), for passing this on!

Toxic people

Friends are the family members we choose to be in our lives. 

I can't remember where I got that idea, probably from a line in a movie or a comment in an article I've read, but I can't help but whole-heartedly agree.

Parents and siblings have been assigned to us through Divine Providence.  Whether we like or love them or not, we're stuck with them for life.

My personal good fortune is being blessed with awesome friends throughout the years.  Although I've lost touch with people I knew from grade school, I have managed to maintain eternal friendships with former high school and college classmates, and fellow associates from a few corporations I had worked in.

Most of the people I've cultivated personal relationships with fit the description of "nice."  There are others who are, for lack of a better word, "toxic."  Apparently, their mission in life is... simply stated... to make others' lives miserable by just occupying the same space in the universe.  What I've always had difficulty accepting is the lack of people's respect for boundaries and the annoying arrogance that accompany their interface with people who inhabit the same realm. 

You must know what I'm talking about.  There are people who succeed in pushing our buttons and getting on our nerves.  Perhaps making waves or upsetting the apple cart isn't their intention, but they just have the knack for doing the same.  Now that I'm a lot older and wiser, I have learned to let such irritating persons be.  If causing friction and bringing disturbance to people's emotions is for them as natural as inhaling oxygen for survival, so be it.  I am no longer giving away my power by fretting over unacceptable behavior.  It had taken years of practice, but removing myself from such company is easier done than harboring potential upset.  The best course of action is to simply banish that presence from my existence.

Life is too short to invest time in undeserving co-inhabitants of this planet.  Now, please be honest... are you a toxic vibe in someone's life?

Shining beyond the grave

It’s been quite sometime since my BFF (best friend forever) forwarded the story of a deceased 9-year old who had the noble mission to help bring clean water to people in poor nations.  I thought it appropriate to honor this little girl on this special day of All Souls.  A million thanks, Josie!

Her name was Rachel Beckwith who lived in Bellevue, WA outside of Seattle.  Her simple, but very honorable, goal was to raise $300 by her ninth birthday so that the people in poor countries could have clean water.  But before she could accomplish her mission, a tragic13-car collision on Interstate 90 got in the way.  Rachel was critically injured on July 20, 8 days after she turned 9 this year.  At that time she was was able to raise $220, $80 short of her targeted amount.

This remarkable soul demonstrated her giving heart even at the age of 5.  When she found out about Locks of Love, an organization that makes wigs from hair donations to be given to children who lost their hair from cancer and other diseases, she had a haircut so that she could donate her long hair to the worthy cause.  She wanted to help the cancer-stricken kids that she had her hair grow long again so that she could donate again to Locks of Love.

Through charity:water her church began a fundraising project for wells to be built in Africa.  Rachel, then 8 years old, could not believe that children in another country had no clean water.  In lieu of celebrating her 9^th birthday with a party, she opted for $9 donations from her friends.  The money was intended for the African charity:water water projects.

One month after the start of summer, the car in which Rachel was riding with her family got hit by a truck.  Her family was left uninjured, but Rachel had to be put on life support.

Rachel’s church members demonstrated their support by donating to her charity:water fundraising project on her charitywater.org/Rachel birthday page.  The money raised, not only from church members but from thousands of people everywhere who read Rachel's story, surpassed her $300 goal, far exceeding the $47,544 amount that a popular teen singer raised for the same cause.  Donations poured in hundreds of thousands until the money collected reached $1,265,894. 

Unfortunately, Rachel never woke up to realize the amazing success she achieved with her clean water fundraising efforts.  On July 23 she was taken off life support when it was made clear to her family that she would never regain consciousness.  The little girl's organs were donated to the other sick children and her hair was given to Locks of Love.

Scott Harrison, the 35-year old charity:water founder, belong to a generation of young people making a difference in our universe.  He commented that “What has been inspiring about Rachel is that she has taught the adults,”  apparently moved by the little girl’s unselfishness.  In the very short time that Rachel lived, she did her part in making our world a better place.

Rachel had written on her birthday page: 

On June 12th 2011, I'm turning 9. I found out that millions of people don't live to see their 5th birthday. And why? Because they didn't have access to clean, safe water so I'm celebrating my birthday like never before. I'm asking from everyone I know to donate to my campaign instead of gifts for my birthday. Every penny of the money raised will go directly to fund freshwater projects in developing nations. Even better, every dollar is "proved" when the projects are complete, and photos and GPS coordinates are posted using Google Earth. My goal is to raise $300 by my birthday, June 12, 2011. Please consider helping me.

Thank you so much!!!

What I find ironic is that while children in other countries are dying from unsafe water, Rachel's life ended from colliding metals.

We can only wish that we would see more Rachel Beckwiths in our lifetime.  Rachel, wherever you are… you ROCK, Girl!

Rachel Beckwith

R.I.P